Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-25
mAsropoNs IN FLORIDA.
Recent Discoveries - Undoubted
Proofs.
flake City CFlAl Tobacco Ieaf.l


flake City Fla) Tobacco Leafl
The recent discovery OF the bones OF
some animal Of extraordinary dImen-
sions in the Ichetucknee river and the re-
coverv of some OF them therefrom 10y
the Snarkman brothers has already been
noticed.
Reports OF the find reaching DR.. j.
Kost, our State geologist, and also pro-
lessor OF geology. etc, in the State
Agricultural College at this place, he
Immediately set about systematic in-
vestigation looking to the recovery, IN
the interest of his science, OF the entire
skeleton or so much of it as might be
available. Learning that n Mr.. McCor-
mick, residing some three miles this
side Of Fort White, and about
mile from the river, had been
the first TO discover the bones, and that
he also knew of the location of other por-
tions OF the huge frame, communication
was had with him, which resulted in DIR.
Kost visiting the locality and beginning
at once prosecution OF the work OF re-
covery, which he is still pushing forward
with no little inconvenience and with
much expense to himself. He hopes,
however, to obtain q sufficient portion OF
the skeleton to enable him to set 1t up
entire Mt the college museum.
The bOnesare distributed for a consid-
erabIe distance along the run of the
Ichetucknee river, some three miles
above its confluence with the Santa Re,
and at the points OF deposit is about 100
Yards wide and very shallow, being but
from to 6 feet in depth. 1t is beau
tiful stream, clear as crystal, and abound
ing in fish, the shores frlnged with
varied forest growth, underneath which
is a fine hummock soil, and hume
rous bold and clear springs gush
out along the banks OF the stream,
which has its origin above in a SINH
lar one OF larger size. Cattle browse
it. wading in and feeding upon the green
growth under the surface of the water
The bottom is compact and sticky, like
prairie soil, and is composed of COM
pound of shell mari, clay, sand. muck,
etc. The huge animal probably begged
down where its remains were found
when the stream ranemuch above its
present level and before the existing
channel was cut out by the action of the
water. 1t belonged to some POSTER
tiary age and the species probably be-
came extinct some time after the appear
ance of man.
The specimens recovered lag on the
bottom from four to six feet under water,
well out into the stream, and opposite a
very pretty slope of bank, and as already
stated were taken out with much difficulty
and expense, DR.. Kost having force OF
men in the water for several days
Estimating from the dimensions OF the
specimens recovered the living animal
stood about II feet IL height by "a in
length, was some feet across the hips,
and about 3 across the forehead. The
tusks are 6 feet apart at the tips, are
81 feet in length, and 10 inches in diam
eter. They were obtained entire, bat
broken in recovery. They were fine spe-
cimens of ivory, and the measurement
given is exclusive of the portion socketed
in the skull, They curve upward like
those of an elephant The whole OF
the inferior maxillary or lower jaw,
with most of the teeth and other
bones, have been recovered. The molars
are enormous, weighing several pounds
each. Most OF the skull was taken out,
| though badly broken. all the bones being
very brittle and much decomposed; sew
eral carpus bones, one entire and seve-
raj fragments of vertebre, the sacrum
entire, two large sections OF the pelyis,
and scapula or shoulder.blsde, speci-
mems Of coprolite femur, or thigh
/ bone, entire, the dimensions of which are
| 81 feet i'll length, 10 inches in diameter,
and 20 inches on a transverse OF
the protuberance of the calculating ex-
tremity. Other OF the bones are
now being recovered, and there IS
another deposit further mp the river.
The animal was very old, as Indicated by
the worn condition Of the tusks and sur
face of the teeth, and DR.. kost says 1t Is
the largest skeleton of the Mastodon
Americans lie has ever seen, and he has
handled several, setting up one complete
at Adrian (Mich) College. This will be
his third if he succeeds in setting it up
at the college here, as is his intention,
and it will be a great card forthe institu-
ton.
The bones Of other mastodons and OF
the mammoth Elephas Primogenus have
been found at various places in Florida,
but this is the first to be utilized in the
interest of science III our home institu-
tons.
The mastodon was an elephant-like
animal, but also somewhat after the
model of an OK, was comparatively harm
less with all his great bulk, and was
graminivorous rather than carniyoroue,
feeding upon the foliage Of trees and
other vegetable products.